An installation of this type is represented in particular in the document DE 25 59 270, for grouping boxes and transferring the batch.
In case of certain types of products, whose contact surface with the conveyor is relatively small, there are often incidents on these installations.
Thus, for example, products of the bottle-pack type can cause problems when it comes to allowing a wholly automated palletization.
In the case of packs comprised of four bottles, the contact surface of the base with the conveyor is relatively small; this particular feature makes the pack extremely unstable and is the cause of many incidents on the palletization line.
When, additionally, the pack is comprised of bottles, the base of which is formed of several supporting points, commonly called “petaloid base”, it tends to “dance” on conveyors and in particular on roller conveyors; for this reason it can assume positions which are totally unsuitable for carrying out a grouping with other packs and it is not uncommon for the attempt at grouping to culminate in a crude jumble.
These grouping and palletization problems are encountered with the majority of products which are not boxed such as, for example in a truly parallelepipedic cardboard box of the American box type.
Consequently, the palletization rates for these products with small dimensions are relatively modest. Their instability makes them most unsuitable for the high speeds and distances covered where these products are free, such as is the case at a preparation and grouping station.